This year we experimented with the format of the regatta. We asked the St. Francis Race Committee to run a regatta with Mercs racing on the waterfront between fixed marks. We started at 11 am between the two bouys off the club with three minute starts and a max of 5 races. The course was to Blackaller bouy, run to the starting mark off Golden Gate YC and finish off STFYC. It worked. We started before the wind came up and sailed 5 races, finishing by 2:30. So far one day is good for this regatta.

The tide was starting to ebb. Close to shore and up by the windward mark, the water was flat. The biggest puffs might have been 12 knots and not many of them. There was a shear where if you stayed in close to shore you got the southerly shift. The other side of the shear, you were in the westerly and had the tide with you.
Race one Jim and Kathy Bradley sailed more to the shore side and led most of the race. Pax Davis and Aaron Lee went downwind not going to the shore and led Bradley to the leeward mark. Bradley picked a good shift and passed Davis to win. Davis second and Steve Jeppesen and Ken Maring were third.
Race two Jeppesen had a good start and built a nice lead. Bradley came back from the middle of the fleet to challenge Jeppesen at the finish. Jeppesen won, Bradley was second and Randy Smith and Kurt Hemmingsen were third.
Race three Smith led all the way.  He stayed on the shore side of the shear going to the weather mark. Dave West and Chris Krueger had good speed and placed second, followed by Bradley.
Race four Chris and Robert Lanzafame regardless of the ebb moving out to the middle of the bay, were able to get the lead and win the race. Bradley was doing his thing to get a second over West, who was third.
Race five was all Smith as he got off to a good start and won the race. Bradley continued his ability to stay in it and finish second. Jeppesen was third.

Congratulations to winners Jim and Kathy Bradley who won easily with some very consistent sailing.
And many thanks to STFYC Race Coordinator Graham Biehl for organizing and running the regatta.